Chi Cubs (96-61) at NY Mets (87-71)

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chc

Cubs get to wave goodbye to Shea

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Thursday will be the Cubs' last game at Shea Stadium, and for those with Chicago connections like Ron Santo, it will be a welcome relief to see the New York Mets' ballpark demolished.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Rich Harden

  • #40 RHP
  • (10-2) 2.03 ERA 177 SO
Cubs: Harden had what he called an "ugly" game against the Brewers. He only gave up one hit over five innings but walked six. He also struck out seven, and had to be pulled because his pitch count had reached 115. Harden had a long layoff before the Milwaukee game because of the Hurricane Ike hiatus, and should do better on a regular routine.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 41-20 3.23 606.2 257 608 .217
Season 10-2 2.03 142.0 56 177 .185
September 1-0 2.45 11.0 7 10 .150

Series at a Glance

Standings - 09/25/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 96 61 .611 - 55-26 41-35
New York Mets (NL East) 87 71 .551 1.5 46-31 41-40
Stats - 09/25/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CHC .278 840 179 796 85 1150 3.86 1417.0 1301 533 1235
NYM .267 787 171 739 133 995 4.07 1428.1 1382 572 1145
nym

Mets need a push from Pedro in finale

Jon Blau / MLB.com
While Pedro Martinez might not have the same makeup now, manager Jerry Manuel will look to him on Thursday for a split with the Cubs. And with the possibility of rainouts over the next the three days, the pitching rotation that Manuel so dearly wants to keep in order could be tampered with.
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Mets probable pitcher

Pedro Martinez

  • #45 RHP
  • (5-6) 5.50 ERA 78 SO
Mets: Martinez's third straight loss was similar to the one before it, albeit with some slightly better control. The most vexing coincidence was the fact that Martinez again allowed runs in the first inning -- this time, three of them -- and that the Mets never recovered from that deficit. It's a trend that neither Martinez nor manager Jerry Manuel could explain, but that has ruined some otherwise fine outings this season. He'll look to do better against the Cubs, whom he has not faced this decade.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 214-99 2.90 2776.2 748 3108 .213
Season 5-6 5.50 103.0 40 78 .295
September 0-3 7.88 16.0 8 11 .358

Cubs hitters vs Pedro Martinez

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Baker, Jeff .500 4 0 1 .500 4 0 1
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .500 6 0 1
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .500 2 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .000 3 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .000 3 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - 1.000 3 1 2
Lee, Derrek - - - - - - - -
Miles, Aaron .333 3 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - - - - -
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .200 20 0 3
Soto, Geovany - - - - - - - -
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .000 2 0 0

Mets hitters vs Rich Harden

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Beltran, Carlos - - - - .143 7 0 0
Bowman, Shawn - - - - - - - -
Carter, Chris - - - - - - - -
Castillo, Luis - - - - .000 2 0 0
Evans, Nick - - - - - - - -
Francoeur, Jeff .000 5 0 0 .000 5 0 0
Green, Andy - - - - - - - -
Hernandez, Anderson .000 2 0 0 .000 2 0 0
Martinez, Fernando - - - - - - - -
Murphy, Daniel - - - - .000 3 0 0
Pagan, Angel - - - - - - - -
Reed, Jeremy - - - - .300 10 0 0
Reyes, Jose - - - - .000 2 0 0
Santos, Omir - - - - - - - -
Sullivan, Cory - - - - - - - -
Thole, Josh - - - - - - - -
Wright, David - - - - - 0 0 1

Closing Bel: Walk-off lifts Mets (96-62) (88-71)

Mets 7, Cubs 6

Good show by rook

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Micah Hoffpauir made a strong case to be included on the playoff roster, going 5-for-5, homering twice and falling a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. But Chicago's bullpen wasn't able to hold a three-run lead, as the Cubs fell to the Mets in the finale.

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Series at a Glance

 

Beltran's game-winner

Marty Noble / MLB.com
Ryan Church's amazing slide in the eighth tied the game, and one inning later, the Mets beat the Cubs on Carlos Beltran's walk-off single to right field. With the comeback win, the Mets are one game behind the Phillies for the NL East lead.
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Mets 7, Cubs 6

Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Pie, LF5110022.244
Theriot, SS2200301.302
Hoffpauir, 1B5255000.387
Edmonds, CF4100124.232
Fontenot, 2B4030101.295
McGehee, C, 3B5011025.222
Fukudome, RF3000224.258
Hill, K, C5000034.111
Harden, P3010010.111
  Gaudin, P0000000.000
  a-Johnson, R, PH1000000.307
  Cotts, P0000000.000
  Howry, P0000000.000
  b-Ward, PH1000002.216
  Hart, K, P0000000.000
Totals38611671223 

a-Grounded out for Gaudin in the 8th. b-Grounded out for Howry in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Hoffpauir (8, Martinez, P), Fontenot (22, Rincon).
HR: Hoffpauir 2 (2, 1st inning off Martinez, P, 0 on, 2 out; 7th inning off Rincon, 2 on, 0 out).
TB: Pie; Hoffpauir 12; Fontenot 4; McGehee, C; Harden.
RBI: Hoffpauir 5 (8), McGehee, C (5).
2-out RBI: Hoffpauir; McGehee, C.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fukudome 2; Hill, K; Edmonds; Ward.
GIDP: Pie.
Team LOB: 12.

BASERUNNING
SB: Pie (3, 2nd base off Martinez, P/Cancel, R).

FIELDING
E: Hoffpauir (2, fielding).
DP: (McGehee, C-Theriot-Hoffpauir).
 
NY MetsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Reyes, J, SS4211100.299
Murphy, LF5000023.325
Wright, 3B2111211.300
Delgado, 1B4000113.273
Beltran, CF4221101.282
Church, RF3132100.284
Martinez, R, 2B4011014.286
Cancel, R, C4121000.245
Martinez, P, P2000010.154
  Rincon, P0000000.000
  Stokes, P0000000.667
  a-Anderson, PH1000001.213
  Schoeneweis, P0000000.000
  b-Easley, PH1000012.270
  Feliciano, P, P0000000.000
  Smith, P0000000.000
Totals3471076715 

a-Grounded out for Stokes in the 7th. b-Struck out for Schoeneweis in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Church (14, Harden), Cancel, R (2, Gaudin).
TB: Reyes, J; Wright; Beltran 2; Church 4; Martinez, R; Cancel, R 3.
RBI: Wright (124), Church 2 (49), Reyes, J (68), Martinez, R (2), Cancel, R (5), Beltran (110).
2-out RBI: Church 2; Martinez, R; Cancel, R; Beltran.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Martinez, R 2; Murphy; Easley.
SF: Wright.
GIDP: Delgado.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Reyes, J 3 (55, 2nd base off Harden/Hill, K, 2nd base off Harden/Hill, K, 2nd base off Hart, K/Hill, K), Beltran (25, 3rd base off Howry/Hill, K).
CS: Church (3, 2nd base by Harden/Hill, K).

FIELDING
E: Wright (16, fielding).
DP: (Martinez, R-Reyes, J-Delgado).
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Harden 6.02325402.07
Gaudin (H, 4)1.01110004.28
Cotts (H, 9)0.23220004.41
Howry (BS, 4)0.12000105.17
Hart, K (L, 2-2)0.22111207.01
 
NY MetsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Martinez, P 6.07554915.61
Rincon 0.12110014.50
Stokes 0.20001103.41
Schoeneweis 1.01001103.20
Feliciano, P 0.01000004.08
Smith (W, 6-3)1.00001103.61

Martinez, P pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.
Feliciano, P pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

WP: Smith.
IBB: Delgado (by Hart, K), Fukudome (by Stokes), Fukudome (by Smith).
Pitches-strikes: Harden 98-49, Gaudin 16-12, Cotts 20-13, Howry 12-8, Hart, K 25-12, Martinez, P 99-67, Rincon 8-6, Stokes 15-7, Schoeneweis 22-13, Feliciano, P 5-3, Smith 16-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Harden 4-9, Gaudin 2-1, Cotts 2-0, Howry 0-0, Hart, K 0-0, Martinez, P 8-1, Rincon 0-1, Stokes 0-1, Schoeneweis 2-0, Feliciano, P 0-0, Smith 2-0.
Batters faced: Harden 25, Gaudin 4, Cotts 4, Howry 3, Hart, K 5, Martinez, P 29, Rincon 3, Stokes 3, Schoeneweis 5, Feliciano, P 1, Smith 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Howry 2-2, Rincon 2-2, Stokes 1-0, Smith 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Jerry Layne. 1B: Randy Marsh. 2B: Phil Cuzzi. 3B: Jim Wolf.
Weather: 64 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 18 mph, In from CF.
T: 3:20.
Att: 51,174.
September 25, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner